| Lietuvos skautija | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Lithuanian Scouting | |||
| Country | Lithuania | ||
| Founded | 1918/1995 | ||
| Membership | 1,446 | ||
| Chief Executive (Vyriausioji skautininkė) | Akvilė Bartaševičiūtė | ||
| Affiliation | World Organization of the Scout Movement | ||
| Website www | |||
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Lietuvos skautija, the primary national Scouting organization of Lithuania, became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1997. The coeducational Lietuvos skautija has 1,446 members as of 2012. [1]
Scouting first came to Lithuania in 1909, as part of the Russian Empire. The indigenous Lithuanian Scout movement began in 1918, when the first Scout patrol and then troop was founded in Vilnius by Scouter Petras Jurgėla. In 1922, the first Scout General Assembly united the Lithuanian Scout Movement into the Scout Association of Lithuania. In 1924, the Scout Association of Lithuania was registered as a member of the World Bureau. Lithuania was a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1923 to 1940. Scouting prospered until 1940, when occupation forces banned Scouting. [2]
In 1940, the Soviet occupation of Lithuania resulted in Scouting being banned. In the years after World War II, a displaced Scouting movement started in the camps for displaced persons, and provided a makeshift but quite effective camp postal system, using Scout postage stamps like the one illustrated.
Many of the Scouts-in-Exile soon moved to the United States and Australia. The organization was able to continue its work abroad, and grew into a large organization with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and academic Scout divisions in Canada, the United States, Australia, England, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. If the Scouting movement had not been kept alive in the diaspora, Scouting would have had a slower time being reestablished upon Lithuania's regaining of independence.
On April 29, 1989, on the eve of the restoration of Lithuanian independence, the Scout Movement in Lithuania was reestablished and Scouting activity restarted. Regular contacts were established and maintained with WOSM. In November, 1989, after the fall of communism, Scouting formally reemerged in the newly democratic Lithuania. Scouting in Lithuania is conducted by several organizations. In 1992, Scouting in Lithuania applied for membership in WOSM. Their constitution was approved by the World Committee. However, serious conflicts with the organization of Lithuanian Scouting, especially former Scouts, resulted in the postal vote being suspended. From 1992 to 1995, attempts were made to insure democratic decision-making processes and to simplify structure, with little progress made.
A new association, formed by the majority of youth leaders in all regions of Lithuania as well as by key members of the former National Council, was created in the spring of 1995 under the name Lietuvos skautija. It was registered by the Ministry of Justice in September, 1995. A meeting of the general assembly was called in November, 1996, which was open to all active leaders registered in any of the several Scout Associations existing in Lithuania. A new constitution, conforming to WOSM requirements, was adopted and a new National Council was elected. Members of Lietuvos skautija, Lietuvos Skautų Sąjunga and the Lithuanian Sea Scout Association attended as delegates. The Lietuvos Lenkų Skautų Sajunga (the Polish Scout Association in Lithuania) attended as observers. Representatives of all the above-mentioned associations were involved in the drafting of the constitution and planning the meeting. It was confirmed by the General Assembly that the name of the organization would henceforth be Lietuvos skautija, Lithuanian Scouting.
Lietuvos skautija (Lithuanian Scouting) is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognized Scout organization. Lithuania was readmitted as a national member organization of WOSM on July 25, 1997. Lietuvos skautija has a membership of around 1,500 boys and girls as of 2014, spread throughout the country. Lietuvos skautija has sent contingents to European and World Scout events. Lietuvos skautija was represented at the 1995, 1998, 2007, 2011 World Jamborees, and held a national camp in 1998 in Nemunaitis near Alytus to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of Scouting in Lithuania. National jamborees are held every 5 years and were also organized in 2003 (in Plateliai), 2008 (in Zarasai district), in 2013 (in Telšiai) and in 2018 (in Rumšiškės, for the centenary).
| Age group | Age range | Uniform |
|---|---|---|
| Cub Scouts | 6 to 10 | Orange Scout scarf, grey or green T-shirt or jumper with "Stengsiuos!" ("I will do my best!") printed on the back |
| Scouts | 10 to 14 | Yellow Scout scarf, beige shirt, khaki trousers/skirt |
| Venture Scouts | 14 to 18 | Maroon Scout scarf, beige shirt, khaki trousers/skirt |
| Rovers and Rangers | 17 to 29 | Blue (girls) or purple (boys) Scout scarf, beige shirt, khaki trousers/skirt. Male rovers also traditionally carry a Y-shaped Scout staff |
Lietuvos skautija also contains Sea Scout and Air Scout units, with different uniforms.
| Age group | Age range | Uniform |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Sea Scouts (Beavers) | 6 to 10 | Light blue Scout scarf |
| Sea Scouts | 10 to 14 | Blue Scout scarf with 3 white stripes, navy shirt, navy trousers/skirt |
| Sea Venture Scouts | 14 to 18 | Black Scout scarf with 3 white stripes, navy shirt, navy trousers/skirt |
| Rovers and Rangers | 17 to 29 | Navy scarf with a piece of amber sewn on (girls) or navy tie (boys), navy shirt, navy trousers/skirt |
| Age group | Age range | Uniform |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Air Scouts | 6 to 10 | Orange Scout scarf with a blue stripe |
| Air Scouts | 10 to 14 | Yellow Scout scarf with a blue stripe, sky blue shirt |
| Air Venture Scouts | 14 to 18 | Green Scout scarf with a blue stripe, sky blue shirt |
The Scout Motto is Budėk!, translating as Be Prepared in Lithuanian; the response is Vis budžiu!, I am always prepared. The Lithuanian noun for a single Scout is Skautas.
The Cub Scout programme is based on Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, the focus of the programme is on learning through play. Scout troops are organised in patrols and the programme takes Scouts through 3 Achievement Levels before they are invested into Venture Scouts. The youth programme for 6-18 year-olds also includes a variety of activity badges. The rover/ranger section follows the tradition of accepting new members into crews for a candidacy period before proper investment.
Do not expect anything from others, always give them what you can. Live for your Motherland and mankind; be a friend of nature and animals. Be a gentleman and a protector of the poor and weak, and always take the right road. Strengthen your body and soul and educate yourself. May your will be as a bowstring resiliently drawn. Follow Saint George, the patron of Scouts: exterminate the evil in the world, but first of all in yourself. First think of others and only then yourself. Grow up as a mighty oak tree and do not bow down as a weeping willow. Be better tomorrow than you are today or than you were yesterday. Keep God in your heart and remember your motto "Be Prepared".
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Junák – český skaut, is the internationally recognized organization of Scouts and Guides of the Czech Republic. Founded in 1911, Junák – český skaut is the largest organisation of children and youth in the nation, with a membership of 73,315.
The Republican Scout Association of Belarus is one of several nationwide Scouting associations in Belarus. It is the body recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1998 to 2004 and again from September 5, 2010.
The Association of Scouts of Azerbaijan the national Scouting organization of Azerbaijan, was founded in 1997, and became the 150th member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement on 20 August 2000. In 2017 it was admitted as a full member in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The coeducational association has 1,571 members as of 2021, about 35% are girls.
Scout Association of Croatia is the Croatian national Scouting organization. As part of Yugoslavia, Croatia was a founding member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1922 to 1948. Independently, Croatia has been a member of the World Organization since 1993, and joined the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 2023, making it a "Scout & Guide National Organization". The coeducational Savez Izviđača Hrvatske has 3,827 members as of 2011.
The European Scout Region is one of six geographical subdivisions of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a satellite office in Brussels, Belgium.
The coeducational Organization of the Scout Movement of Kazakhstan was officially founded in 1992, and received World Organization of the Scout Movement recognition on January 16, 2008. In 2011, it had 1,223 members.
Sojuz na Izvidnici na Makedonija (The Scout Association of Macedonia) (Macedonian: Сојуз на извидници на Македонија), the national scouting organization of Republic of North Macedonia, became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1997. The coeducational Sojuz na Izvidnici na Makedonija has 2140 members as of 2016.
The Scout movement in Yugoslavia was served by different organizations during the existence of the multi-ethnic state.
Slovenský skauting, is the primary national Scouting and Guiding organization of Slovakia. Currently has around 7000 members. With 3,157 Scouts and about 3,000 Guides. Slovenský Skauting is the largest youth organization in Slovakia and a member of both the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
The Eurasian Scout Region was the divisional office of the World Scout Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, headquartered in Kyiv, formerly located at Gurzuf near Yalta-Krasnokamianka, Ukraine, with a branch office in Moscow. All the formerly communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Soviet Union have developed or are developing Scouting in the wake of the renaissance in the region. These include most of the successor states to the Soviet Union, in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The 1996/99 Triennial Report of the World Scout Committee/World Organization of the Scout Movement shows that WOSM is aggressively pursuing the organization of Scouting activities in the countries of the former Soviet Union, according to its own vision.
Scouting in Ukraine received World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) recognition in July 2008. The Eurasian Region headquarters is located on Ukrainian territory.
The Bhutan Scouts Association, also known as Druk Scout Tshogpa (Dzongkha:འབྲུག་ཨིསི་ཀའུཊ་ཚོགས་པ་), is a coeducational organization that is part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. As of 2021, it has a membership of 76,876 members. The association is committed to the education of young people through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, with the aim of building a better world where individuals are self-fulfilled and play a constructive role in society.
The National Association of Cambodian Scouts is the national Scouting organization in Cambodia. It was founded in September 2005 through the merger of the Scout Organization of Cambodia and the Cambodian Scouts and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) on 1 July 2008. The coeducational association serves 59,275 members as of 2021.
Scouts of Syria is the national Scout and Guide organization of Syria. Scouting in Syria was founded in 1912; Guiding started in the 1950s. The coeducational association serves 9,358 members and is a member of both the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Scouting and Guiding in Lithuania consist of a number of different organizations, some of them connected to international bodies. Besides open associations, there are also some for the national minorities living in Lithuania, as well as Girl Scouts of the USA.
Savez Izviđača Crne Gore is the national Scouting organization of Montenegro. A referendum on independence was held in Republic of Montenegro on May 21, 2006, voting to leave its state union with Serbia by a narrow margin. Montenegro became the world's 192nd recognized sovereign state, which then split the Savez Izviđača Srbije i Crne Gore, as happened with Czechoslovakia in 1993, meaning that Savez Izviđača Crne Gore had to reapply for World Organization of the Scout Movement membership in 2008.
Savez Izviđača Srbije, English: Scout Association of Serbia) is the primary national Scouting organization of Serbia. A referendum on independence was held in Montenegro on May 21, 2006, voting to leave its state union with Serbia by a narrow margin. Montenegro became the world's 193rd recognized sovereign state, which has then split the Savez Izviđača Srbije i Crne Gore, as happened with Czechoslovakia in 1993, meaning that the membership in the World Organization of the Scout Movement was transferred to Savez Izviđača Srbije.
The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Scouting on Brownsea Island.
Lietuvos skautų sąjunga is one of Lithuania's Scouting organizations. The organization serves about 1,300 members as of 2008.
Partially distilled from Eurofax 59, August 1997. Eurofax is the monthly newsletter of the European Region of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). It is produced by the European Scout Office and is distributed by fax to all member associations in the European Scout Region and the Europe Region WAGGGS, and others.
